


Life, Death & The Boy with the Straw Hat

by JayDPopsX



Series: Life, Death & The Boy with the Straw Hat [1]
Category: One Piece
Genre: Mild Suggestive Underage Activity, No Smut, Other
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-06-24
Updated: 2019-06-24
Packaged: 2020-05-19 05:37:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,732
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19350571
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/JayDPopsX/pseuds/JayDPopsX
Summary: All new material, all new beginning, same kid.This time round I have put more time into perfecting my ideal story line for her.66 returns as Bella, a 9-Year-Old Slave at Marijoa.This story is designed to follow her Life travelling and flying around the world.Her struggles along the way as she encounters Death first hand.And the day that changed her forever, when she met the Boy with the Straw Hat.





	Life, Death & The Boy with the Straw Hat

It could have been the whistle of wind through the window, or maybe the nipping of the fleas at her ankles; either way, Bella could not sleep. Since her last growth spurt, the itchy, rigid sack she used for warmth was shrinking day by day, and her straw mattress was no longer passing below her feet. The realisation that she still had many years of growing ahead of her only aided in her nightmare, as she must revel in all the rest she could acquire since it would far surpass the quality of sleep she would have in her later years.  
The other women in the room were much older than her, they found no trouble in falling asleep. Mizuko had been snoring away for the past hour, Nagi was muttering to herself, as always and Lilia was gently smacking her lips, probably thinking about all the food they had prepared earlier that day for the masters. She always promised that one day she would sneak one of the pork buns for Bella to try, if she'd behaved herself and completed all her chores; but, every time the hard-working nine-year-old had met the requirements given to her at the start of the day, it was always 'next time'. Bella knew she would never have the chance to taste one, but the promise was enough to keep her going, at least in the meantime. 

Looking across the dark, stone walled room, Bella would make stories up in her mind; from sailing across the sea, to discovering new uncharted lands, far, far away from the fortress that had confined her her entire life. She longed to feel the spray of the ocean against her skin, something she had read about in many of the books she had slipped underneath her petticoat when no one was looking. This time, she imagined landing on an island with giant trees and forests as far as the eye could see. She would play on the beach, ruffling the sand through her fingers and splashing the ocean water onto her face; before heading into the greenery looking for different animals and insects both new and exciting that she could draw in her sketchbook. She ran into a large clearing in front of her, where a giant moth was comfortably sleeping away; it's wings were a dusty brown with specks of purple and yellow-  
“Oh shit!” Nagi yelped, leaping from her bed in a panicked jolt, waking everyone in the room.  
“What is it Nagi?” Lilia enquired in her soft and angelic voice.  
“I forgot to blend the sauce,” she cried out flushed with terror, “now the masters will have lumps in their curry sauce, the Chef's are gonna' kill me!”  
“Alright, calm down,” Mizuko sighed, as she unsympathetically patted Nagi's head, “soon as you get in the kitchen, shove it in the blender and it'll be like you never forgot.” Mizuko was always the calm and controlled one, she never lost her temper but would rule with an iron fist. None of these women were higher ranked that the other, for you see, here, slaves were slaves. But, Mizuko had the most experience working in kitchens, so she naturally took a more assertive role with the other two as well as Bella, who naturally did as she was asked with little to no questioning. Nagi on the other hand, was skittish and paranoid, she would always do a good job in the end, but had a tendency to drop, break or forget things frequently, leaving Mizuko and Lilia to pick up the pieces.  
“Please don't worry yourself Nagi,” Lilia gracefully smiled, “You see, Mizu-sama has everything under control.” Lilia was so gentle in everything she did, she was the kind of person that couldn't have a bad bone in her body. She was also the weakest of the group, suffering greatly from malnourishment and exhaustion; she had been working in the kitchen for as long as Bella could remember. After the masters finished their meals, one of them would have her sent to their chambers, and she wouldn't return until very late into the evening.  
“None of that -sama crap Lilia, go back to sleep you need your rest.” Mizuko snapped, pointing down at her pillow. Lilia responded with another soft smile as she lowered her head back down onto her pillow, “And you,” she turned to Nagi, “Get a grip woman! Can't you see we're all trying to sleep and you're keeping us up with all your pointless worrying,” Looking over to where Bella was supposed to be sleeping, Mizuko could see a pair of brown eyes, wide open, watching the drama Nagi was creating in front of her. With a sigh of exhaustion she grinned maniacally at Bella, “I see you're awake, huh kiddo?” In a mild panic, Bella pulled the sack over her eyes, like a scared child hiding from the monsters under her bed, with a snorted laugh, Mizuko turned to face her bed, longing to return to sleep, “Night ladies”.  
Mizuko dropped onto her straw bed with an 'oof', whilst Nagi followed suit into her own. A few sighs of mixed emotions could be heard from each of them, but after that, the room fell into silence. Mere minutes later, the same sounds as before had returned into the echoey room, snoring, murmuring, lips smacking and wind whistling. Once again, it was going to be a long and sleepless night for the young slave at Marijoa.

The next morning, Bella hadn't slept, not even for a minute. But she obediently stayed in her bed pretending to sleep, waiting patiently for the morning. Shortly before sunrise, one of the guards would barge into their room ushering them all awake. They had no clean clothes to change into, nor new shoes to put on their feet, so once they were awake, they'd be quickly marched single file, heads down and chained one by one, through the narrow passageways and turns that brought them from the dank and desolate living quarters of the workers, into the bright, marbled walk ways that housed their masters. As they entered the kitchen, Nagi rushed towards the fridge, grabbed a large mixing bowl that was filled with her lumpy sauce, and hastily spooned it into the blender, making a quick, albeit a messy job, of creating a smooth sauce the way the masters liked it. Once her panic was over, she joined Mizuko and Lilia with preparing the masters breakfast. Bella was on standby at the sink, ready to receive the dishes, bowls and utensils that needed to be cleaned.   
Once, she'd licked a whisk that still had chocolate mousse on it, it was so sweet, nothing like she'd ever tasted before; it was creamy and moreish, so much so that she went in for another lick, only to be smacked on the back of her head with a wooden spoon in Mizuko's hand. She wiped the spot of chocolate that was smudged on the side of Bella's mouth with her finger and wiped it away onto her apron. Mizuko gave her a stern look that was both disgruntled and panicked, she knew first hand the penalty for sneaking food in the kitchen even if it were just a lick of a finger. That look alone was enough for Bella to know she had been let off lightly, she too knew the price if she were to be caught by one of the guards, so she never even thought to give in to the temptation again.   
The four of them were not the only staff in the kitchen; three professional chefs headed the kitchen, as well as ten other trained chefs that were each placed at different stations with ranges of kitchen experience. As for the four of them however, they were considered the 'grunts' in the kitchen, a nickname given to them by the chefs. Their jobs were everything from peeling to stirring things, or such as in Nagi's case, blending; in essence, anything that the professionals deemed to be below their expertise was passed onto them. 

*Halfway through the day, Lilia began feeling faint and had to prop herself up on the counter, to prevent herself from falling to the ground. She had been standing over the oven for hours and the heat mixed with the inability to stop for a break, or even stop for a drink, was taking a greater toll on her body that day. Mizuko wrapped her arm around Lilia's and used herself as support for her until she felt she could stand on her own; Nagi slipped a small cup of dishwater to her, which she nursed as though it were holy water. As their chores drew to a finish, it was time to serve the evening meals to their masters. As they were beginning to clear their stations, one of the dozens of waiters wandered into the kitchen, he exuded class and towered far above the other staff, he was very slender and had a thin line of a moustache lining his upper lip,  
“Ahem,” this was his way of announcing his presence must be noted, “Lilia, Master Churro requests you serve him tonight.” Exhausted and resigned, Lilia nodded gently before wearily wandering to the pass to collect his plates, she was gently shaking but holding herself well, she carried his plates like a professional, back straight and smiled as though she were about to meet her knight in armour, however, behind her eyes, she was almost gone. The waiter then turned to Bella who was still elbows deep in bubbles,  
“And you, child, Master Edmund has requested you serve him tonight.” Bella hadn't realised he was speaking to her, so she continued with the washing in her own little made up world. Mizuko and Nagi had heard him and quickly rushed over to Bella alerting her attention. They quickly removed her apron and gloves, brushed through her red hair with their fingers and wiped the dirt off her face with saliva on their fingers. Being a child, she was naturally capable of being far more dirty than Lilia, who glowed beautifully with pale skin and fair hair that never seemed to appear unclean or dishevelled. Both women fussed over her, giving her instructions and orders,  
“Now listen kid, don't speak, don't look at them, do as they say, don't slouch, don't smile, do exactly as they say, don't breathe too loud, don't hover, for god sake don't drop anything, or eat anything, if they tell you to do something do it, don't ask questions, don't listen to anything they say unless it's to you-”  
“Enough!” The waiter clapped with a sour tone, both women stepped away from Bella who was very confused. He walked over to Bella who was less than half his size and bent over her to get a closer look. With a reluctant sigh, he clapped his hands again, “Bring her Master Edmund's meal.” One of the chefs handed her a plate that was almost too big for her to carry. Without another moment wasted, he pushed her from behind ushering her into the dining hall behind Lilia. She had never been in this room, so she was taken back by just how grand it was; the walls were decadent in gold with masterfully painted portraits displayed around the several people who were sat at the extensively long table, where more than twenty people dressed in white were sitting. She shuffled across the room towards the table, before halting at the realisation that she was missing a crucial piece of information, she didn't know what Master Edmund looked like. She couldn't do anything else, but stop and look around the room, hoping something would indicate who she was supposed to deliver the plate to. Suddenly, Lilia dashed to her side and whispered in her ear,  
“Who's is that?”  
“Edwards”  
“Do you mean Edmund?” She smiled sweetly, Bella nodded in reply. She then discreetly pointed to a man sat a fair distance away, he was a very large man, rotund and creepy to look at. Bella walked steadily towards him, trying to keep the oversized plate flat on her arms. No one paid any attention to her while she made her way across the great hall, they continued sitting in silence or conversing silently to the people sat beside them. As she approached Master Edmund's side, she could see there was very little room between his large physique and the Mistress sat beside him, that she had to squeeze the heaving plate onto the table between them, trying her best not to touch either of them; it didn't help she was barely able to see over the table as it was. Carefully she lifted the plate above her head staggering slightly due to the overbearing weight of so much food. The plate lightly tapped the side of the table as she rested it onto the top and subtly slid the meal in front of him. This gained his attention, as he had inhaled the aroma of the delicacy that he was about to consume. He turned to look at Bella who was taking a moment to catch her breath,  
“Who are you?” He was very well spoken, but his words were slow and drawn out,  
“My name is Bella, it's a pleasure to meet you Master.” She was so innocent in the way she spoke and how she delicately bowed in respect.  
“Say that again.”  
“My name is Bella, it's a pleasure to meet you Master.”  
“What did you call me?”  
“Master.” She was still bowing as she had been taught not to move until she had been dismissed. Edmund snorted in a vulgar and lewd manner, before leaning over and taking a good look at her, “Stand up straight child.” She did so, “Say that again.”  
“Master.” She didn't look at him, only down at the floor, so she didn't see the suggestive way he was gazing her over, not that she would be able know what was happening.  
He reached out with a finger and thumb, pinching the ragged dress from the collar, he pulled her towards his face as he lent further over, narrowing the space between them almost entirely.  
“I'll see you after desert.” He scoffed biting down hard on his lip. He suck in air between his seat whilst he released her from his grasp and turned to begin his meal.  
This man, had given Bella a feeling she had never felt before, it was frightening, but not like it is before being punished or beaten, it was more unsettling, as it built a feeling of nausea inside her stomach and made every breath she took seem difficult.

Seeing as he no longer wanted her attention at that time, she took this as a way of dismissal. She hastily retreated back into the kitchen, heart thumping, where she was met by Lilia who was knelt on the ground and surprised her with a tight hug. She didn't say anything at first, and Bella could feel both their hearts were beating heavily and fast.  
“Don't be afraid,” She muffled into Bella's shoulder very quietly. She was speaking so faintly, that only Bella was able to hear her, but also loud enough that there was a distinctive change in her voice, it was stern and enraged, and yet still the same gentile and sweet Lilia, “we're getting you out of here, don't react and don't say a word. You're different from the other children here, most have given up hope while the others have never had any; but you, you always smile and try your hardest, you taught yourself to read and you are so kind to everyone. You don't belong here. You'll never belong here. All your life you've lived here, you've dreamt of seeing the sea, the world. You're not going to do that from inside the kitchen, and mark my words, I will not allow them to hurt you any more than they already have.” She pushed Bella away from her holding her at arms length and looked her dead in the eye, her lip was curled baring her teeth and her eyes could only be described as nothing less than wild, “Go to the pantry, Nagi is waiting for you, Mizu-sama too. Do exactly as we say and don't look back.” She pulled her back in for one last goodbye, before turning away, hiding her tears.

Always abiding when given any instructions, Bella walked hastily to the pantry where Nagi was waiting for her with a small brown pouch tied onto a rope,  
“Take this, should last you a couple days, then you're gonna' have to figure something out, best I can do for you kid.” She wrapped the rope around Bella's tiny waist and threw her arms around her, “Take care of yourself and don't look back, you hear me?!” She sounded terrified but content. At this point, the reality of the situation began to set inside Bella's stomach, was she hearing them right? She was going, to be free? At this point Bella wasn't in any position to oppose what was happening, to be frank, she didn't have any objections against the idea of being free. Regardless, she didn't have any time to process much, because she was swiftly pulled away from Nagi by Mizuko who dragged her out of the kitchen by the arm. As Mizuko marched Bella down the cobblestone hallway she pulled a knife out from under her skirt and tore a small section away from bottom of one of the overbearing red curtains that hung several feet high. She wrapped it over Bella's shoulders folding it together at the front like a cape,  
“Listen to me,” Mizuko quivered, still adjusting the fabric, “there's a whole lot about you that you don't know and I ain't got a whole lot'a time to explain it, but what I can tell you is this; they think you're weak, they think you're not smart, they think you're nothing special, well kiddo they couldn't be further from the truth. Now, where you're going, it's gonna' be rough and scary, but I know you, you're brave, you can do anything you want.” She held Bella at arms length, the same way Lilia had earlier, “Once you get out, find Rayleigh, he's not expecting you, but you gotta' find him. Tell him, 'You're Hades, but you don't know what that means', he'll tell you all you need to know. But, you're not staying here a moment longer, not while we're here anyway.” She too, pulled Bella into a tight embrace, tears swelling in her eyes, “Go out there and have your adventures, sail the sea. A-and remember to always be brave.” All of a sudden, she was briskly pulled away once again, this time by the tall waiter who was now looking at her with sympathy, rather than from below his nose. He hastily rushed her down the hallway, or at least, that's what it felt like for Bella as his strides were so large to contend with.  
“Good Luck kiddo, believe in yourself and promise me, you won't look back!” Mizuko cried out after them, Bella looked back at Mizuko who was standing proud, smiling from ear to ear.  
“I promise!” Bella cried out, matching her smile.

As the pair disappeared down the hallway, the waiter didn't speak to her much with only the exception of a few words of ushering and grunting if she were being too slow, or as he would phrase it, 'dawdling'. He brought her down three stairwells, a multitude of different hallways and passages, all the way down to the cellar where another man was waiting lent up against a small wooden crate. The man was dressed in a suit and narrow sunglasses, much like the security guards that protect the masters; he took off his glasses and knelt down before the drained child who was fighting to catch her breath. The waiter handed the guard a small pouch, likely bribery money. He opened it, glanced in, and then stowed it away in his pocket. Looking back at Bella he turned cold,  
“Get in, stay quiet.” He loaded her into the small box and drilled the lid shut within seconds. She sat inside the box, silently. Only making one small 'oof' sound when the box was abruptly jolted as the crate was lifted off the ground, causing her to stumble. It shook a fair amount during it's relocation, wherever that may be, causing her to wobble slightly as she was the only 'item' inside and had nothing but the sides of the box to hold her steady. After several minutes of movement, she felt an impact beneath her as the box was dropped with a thud. Out of nowhere, a cascading amount of voices began echoing from all around her. The box was well made as she couldn't see a thing, she'd been completely consumed by darkness.  
Amongst the ruckus behind these wooden walls, a voice directly beside her called out,  
“Hey we got one more here!” It was the guard from before.  
“You got it!” Another voice replied only moments before being once again lifted and jostled about for a few more minutes followed by being dropped once again, “What's in there? Seems pretty light.”  
“It belongs to Saint Claus, I have no idea”  
“Oh” the second voice stuttered immediately filling his voice with sheer terror, “n-never mind, we'll get it to Sabaody with the rest of it, don't you worry, we'll take good care of it.”  
“See that you do.” Two pats and then a short tap could be heard from above her, in that moment, she knew she was safe.  
Bella had been taught this knock, by the older slaves, that this was a secret knock between them all to let each other know they were safe, but had to remain silent.  
For the rest of what felt to be a day, Bella sat inside the box, still and silent, waiting for whatever was going to happen next. At this moment, she couldn't have predicted, nor realised, the fate she had been saved from or the journey she was about to embark upon; but, most importantly, the fact that she was leaving the harrowing and solitary life, the only life that she knew, for good.


End file.
